This invention relates to a vandal resistant dispenser for dispensing goods or services such as communications services. More particularly, the invention relates to a coin receiver having a runway with enhanced resistance to vandalism inflicted by a hacksaw.
Hacksaw blades are often used to gain unauthorized access to restricted areas or equipment by sawing through door bolts of a door lock. One way of restricting access in this manner is to provide a hardened steel cylindrical rod journalled for free rotation within a longitudinal bore in the bolt. If a person attempts to saw through the door bolt, the hacksaw blade encounters the steel rod which rotates as the saw is reciprocated. Rotation of the rod reduces any relative movement between the hacksaw blade and the rod, thus preventing the saw from sawing through the rod and preventing further cutting through the door bolt.
Coin operated machines to dispense goods or services are used in many applications throughout the world and are subject to hacksaw vandalism, often by unsophisticated fraud vandals who attempt to retrieve coins from the machines. A common approach by such vandals is to insert a relatively fine hacksaw blade through a coin-receiving bezel. The bezel discharges the coins into a coin runway which directs the coins into a coin validation device of a dispenser for dispensing the goods or services.
Commonly, a vandal will attempt to saw through a lower guide surface or guide groove in the runway in an attempt to access coins already received. While there is little or no threat to the received coins when using this approach, sawing through the coin runway can result in damage to adjacent portions of the apparatus. For example, the saw can damage flexible electrical circuits which may be located adjacent to the runway. This may prevent further use of the apparatus.
In some countries, repairing coin operated machines from the above type of vandalism can be costly. It would be desirable to provide a dispenser with a coin runway which is not only resistant to vandalous attempts at forced entry, but would also clearly indicate to the vandal that continuation of the attempt would not be productive.